


Goodbye

by kmandofan90



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Heavy Angst, Spoilers, chapter 16 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:40:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28160295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kmandofan90/pseuds/kmandofan90
Summary: Pairing:None, Din Djarin, Grogu (Baby Yoda)Wordcount:~600Rating:PG-13Warnings:Angst,spoilers for Ch 16Author’s Notes:Momma Mando wants some angst tonight. This was written in like half an hour, barely edited, but I couldn’t get the thought out of my head. Please enjoy.SPOILERS.
Relationships: Din Djarin & Grogu | Baby Yoda
Comments: 6
Kudos: 40





	Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> **Pairing:** None, Din Djarin, Grogu (Baby Yoda)  
>  **Wordcount:** ~600  
>  **Rating:** PG-13  
>  **Warnings:** Angst, **spoilers for Ch 16**  
>  **Author’s Notes:** Momma Mando wants some angst tonight. This was written in like half an hour, barely edited, but I couldn’t get the thought out of my head. Please enjoy. **SPOILERS.**

Din has known for months now that his job is to deliver Grogu to his people or to the Jedi. Now, a Jedi has come for the tiny green baby, and it is time for Din to say goodbye. _Goodbye._ The word echoes in his mind. He has said goodbye to so many others in his long life. Some goodbyes he knew would be temporary. Others, he knew would be permanent. Yet here, with his little Gro’ika, his little green shadow, his heart _hurts._ It hurts so much he can barely breathe, like a hand reaching into his very soul and twisting it apart.

Tears spring to his eyes and burn hot tracks down his cheek. Din doesn’t _want_ to say goodbye, but he knows he must for the child’s sake. For his entire life, he has dedicated himself to upholding the Resol’nare. He knows he is responsible for educating and protecting his precious child…yet, he is not Force-sensitive, nor has he been trained. He cannot give his son the education he so desperately needs to protect himself.

He decides to continue forward. The fate of his soul as a Mandalorian can be decided later. For now, he needs to _see_ Grogu. He needs for his son to see _him._ Din reaches up and takes off the helmet. For a single moment – an eternity that doesn’t last nearly long enough – Grogu watches him. He’s never shown the child his face, too fearful of losing himself as a Mandalorian to give him that. But now, now that his Grogu – his tiny, radiant, green _soul_ – is finally leaving him, Din figures there can’t be much more for him to lose.

Three tiny claws come up to rest on his cheek. His hand is cool, oddly sticky, and wet. Just like every other toddler-sized hand Din has had to wrestle out from under the front of his helmet. Din breaks then, a choked sob rising in his throat. Grogu coos at him and gives him a toothy smile, one radiant and pure and full of so much love.

He can’t linger anymore. He has to say goodbye now and let him. Din leans in, but the words catch in his throat. Goodbye, he thinks. Such a cold, permanent word. Closing this chapter forever. He can’t do it. He can’t bring himself to believe that this is _goodbye forever.  
_

“ _Ret'urcye mhi_ ,” he whispers. _Maybe we’ll meet again_.

Din holds on to that hope – he lets it burn in his heart like a star, lets those bright rays drive away the darkness that had been filling him with those cold little fingers – as he sets Grogu down on the floor. He watches as the little one toddles over to the quivering, whistling astromech. When the Jedi crouches to pick him up, Din watches as long as he can – he memorizes each little wrinkle on his head, the sparkle of his eyes, the sharp little teeth peering up in the smile. When Grogu waves, Din waves back, swallowing the knot in his throat.

_Ret'urcye mhi, ad’ika_ , he thinks to himself. _Please, gods, let our paths cross once more_.

When the Jedi steps into the waiting elevator, something falls out of Grogu’s hand. Din inhales, cold filling him, as he watches the mythosaur pendant fall. It hits the ground with a clatter so sharp it feels like a knife in his heart, tearing him wide open.

And in that moment, Din knows he will never regain that part of his soul.


End file.
